Whether They're Dead or Alive
by Sehanine
Summary: Tonks gets some private training on how to stand up for herself.


Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

><p>Walking down the hallway of the Ministry of Magic, Nymphadora Tonks felt very important. Having just been given her trainee auror robes, everyone she passed was looking at her with an air of respect, rather than ignoring her as they usually did. Even the portraits were paying attention to her, she thought to herself, noticing one such portrait scrutinising her.<p>

The portrait was of a domineering-looking, elderly man, wearing black robes and a matching wizards hat. Tonks smiled at him, before glancing down to the nameplate below the frame. Her smile slipped slightly as she read the name before her: Cygnus Black III, her grandfather.

This man had been the one who had disowned her mother. Rejected her because she had married the man she loved, who was coincidentally muggle-born. Still, Tonks thought to herself, he doesn't know who I am. Just as she was thinking this, the painting began to speak.

"You bring shame on my family!" he shouted, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. "You are the product of filth - the very same filth who defiled my daughter!" Some of the people stood around Tonks were beginning to laugh, watching the portrait insult the young girl who just moments before had been so happy. It didn't help that strong emotions made it difficult for her to control her metamorphmagus abilities. Her hair, previously bubblegum pink, had reverted to g its natural mousey-brown colour and hung limply around her face.

"Unnaturalness!" Cygnus' portrait screamed, watching her hair. "The muggle blood has tainted our pure magic and corrupted it to create this unnatural creature before me! Look on her and see the perils of mating with dirt!"

Tonks turned away from the portrait and ran down the corridor, tears in her eyes. Her blurry vision coupled with her natural clumsiness caused her to run headfirst into a wizard walking the other way. She stumbled and fell to her knees.  
>"What do I keep telling you, girl?" a voice said from above her. "Constant vigilance!" Tonks looked up to see none other than Alastor Moody, the head trainer for her class of Auror candidates.<p>

Moody held out his hand and helped Tonks to her feet.  
>"What happened?" he asked, uncharacteristic concern showing in his grizzled features. Figuring it couldn't possibly make things worse, Tonks recounted her experience with the portrait. Moody looked thoughtful.<p>

"Come with me, girl," he said after a moment. "I have a chance to teach you something here: you have got to take the upper hand in all situations or people, whether they're dead or alive, will walk all over you." Moody grabbed Tonks' arm and began to march her back towards the portrait, offering advice as they walked.

"Now then, girl, when he talks down to you, you stand up straight and tell him the truth of it. You know you're not filth and I assume you know your father isn't either, but no-one's going to believe you if you hunch over like that when you tell them. You stick up for yourself and there's no-one who'll think you're vulnerable. Best quality to have as an auror is to look stronger than you feel. And Merlin's sake, sort your hair out, girl!"

Tonks straightened her spine and willed her hair to change back to it's previous pink hue. With Moody stood across from her, watching encouragingly, she strode up to the rude portrait and looked him in the eye.  
>"Mr Black," she said confidently. "I am not filth, and neither is my father. You, however, are a disgusting specimen of a human being and you never deserved a daughter as wonderful as my mother." With Cygnus left spluttering, Tonks walked back to Moody, feeling ten times better than when she ran into him.<p>

"You learn quick, girl," Moody said, approvingly.  
>"Thank you, sir," Tonks replied, hoping he knew she meant for more than just the praise. "My name is Tonks, by the way."<br>"The way I hear it, your name is Nymphadora," Moody said, smiling at the scowl that appeared on Tonks' face. "You tell me otherwise in the tone you used on that portrait there and I might just start believing you." With that comment, Moody walked away, leaving Tonks to wonder whether she could ever speak that way to such an imposing man.

The next day, Tonks was notified that Alastor Moody had requested her as an apprentice. Tonks was once again ecstatic, and determined that this time no-one was going to bring her down, whether they be dead or alive.


End file.
